Monarda plant named ‘Leading Lady Plum’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of ornamental cultivar of ornamental bee balm plant named  Monarda  ‘Leading Lady Plum’ has short, compact, winter-hardy, clumping habit, dark green, and powdery mildew tolerant foliage. The magenta-purple flowers are at least two weeks earlier than  Monarda didyma  cultivars accented by rows of darker reddish-purple spots and continue for 5 to 8 weeks with branched stems developing above the terminal flower branches. The verticillasters are accented by greyed-purple bracts and sepals.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION AND CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

Botanical classification: Monarda didyma×Monarda bradburiana.

Variety denomination: ‘Leading Lady Plum’.

FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDING

This plant invention was developed without federally sponsored researchor development funding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Beebalm, botanically known as Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’, and hereinafteralso referred to solely as the cultivar ‘Leading Lady Plum’ or the “newplant.” Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ was hybridized in the summer of 2009at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA by the inventorand given the original breeder code of H9-38-02. The new plant wasseparated out for further evaluation in the summer of 2010 in the fullsun trial gardens of the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich., as a plannedbreeding program to produce new colored Bee balm flowers with superiormildew resistance, new and improved flowers and compact habit. The newplant has been asexually propagated since 2011 by stem cuttings at thesame nursery in the greenhouses in Zeeland, Mich., and the subsequentgenerations of asexually propagated plants found to be stable andidentical to the original selection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PLANT

Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ is unique from its parents and all other beebalm plants known to the inventor. The nearest comparison varieties area sibling, Monarda ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 14/120,589) and the two parents, Monarda ‘CoralReef’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,741, and a proprietary selection of Monardabradburiana (not patented). Monarda ‘Coral Reef’ is much taller and hasa more pinkish-colored flower without spotting than the shorter habitand darker magenta-purple colored and spotted flower of the new plant.The selection of Monarda bradburiana has similar darker reddish-purpleaccent spots in the flower like that of Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’, butit is lighter in the background petal and is more spreading and tallerin habit than the new plant. The habit and spotted petals of ‘LeadingLady Plum’ is most similar to its sister sibling ‘Leading Lady Lilac’except the flower color of ‘Leading Lady Plum’ is more magenta-purplebased and the flower color of ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ is more light lilac.Both Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ and Monarda ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ flowerabout two weeks earlier in trials in Michigan and North Carolina thanall other Monarda didyma cultivars tested and have flowering sidebranches that develop above the terminal branch effectively extendingthe fresh flowering appearance of the new plant.

The new plant Monarda ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ is distinct from all bee balmplants known to the inventor. Table 1 compares two main traits ofseveral of the nearest comparison cultivars with corresponding U.S.Plant Patent numbers listed where relevant.

TABLE 1 CULTIVAR HEIGHT FLOWER COLOR ‘Achall’ PP19582 45 cm deepred-purple ‘Acrade’ PP19580 40 cm purple violet M. bradburiana 45 cmlight lavender with dark spots ‘Coral Reef’ PP16741 125 cm coral pink‘Fire Marshall’ PP23286 50 cm deep red ‘Fireball’ PP14235 60 cmred-purple ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ 32 cm light lilac purple with dark spots‘Leading Lady Plum’ 34 cm magenta purple with dark spots ‘MCmum’ PP2213660 cm pink ‘Mondid 0803’ PP17513 40 cm red-purple ‘Pardon My Pink’PP24244 28 cm fuchsia-pink ‘Pardon My Purple’ PP22170 30 cm dark fuchsia‘Petite Delight’ PP10784 30 cm light pink-purple ‘Petite Wonder’ PP1314925 cm light pink ‘Pink Lace’ PP18367 45 cm red-purple ‘Pink Supreme’PP14204 60 cm dark pink ‘Sugar Lace’ PP22918 44.5 cm red-purple

The following are traits of Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ that incombination distinguish it from all other bee balm known to theinventor:

-   -   1. Short, compact, winter-hardy, clumping habit.    -   2. Dark-green, slightly-glossy, powdery mildew tolerant foliage.    -   3. Compact magenta-purple flowers for a long period beginning        late spring at least two weeks earlier than most Monarda didyma        cultivars.    -   4. Inside lower flower petals accented by rows of darker        reddish-purple spots.    -   5. Flowers in dense verticillasters subtended by bracts of        blackish-purple tinting.    -   6. Lateral flowering branches extend above terminal flowers        extending the fresh appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits ofMonarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ and the overall appearance of the plant attwo-years old in the full sun trial garden of a nursery in Zeeland,Mich. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with colorreproductions. Variation in ambient light spectrum, source and directionmay cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower of the new plant.

FIG. 2 shows the habit of the new plant in flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on The 2001Edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’ has notbeen observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may varyslightly with different growing environments such as temperature, light,fertility, soil pH, moisture and maturity levels, but without any changein the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions arebased on two-year old full-sun, trial garden-grown plants at a nurseryin Zeeland, Mich. with limited supplemental fertilizer and water asneeded but without plant growth regulators or pinching. Wheresignificant differences occur characteristics compared with two-year oldgreenhouse forced plants with supplemental lighting, fertilizer andwater.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma×Monarda bradburiana.-   Parentage: Female (seed) parent is Monarda didyma ‘Coral Reef’ U.S.    Plant Pat. No. 16,741; male (pollen) parent is a proprietary    selection of Monarda bradburiana (not patented).-   Plant habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial, compact, producing several    stems spreading by short rhizomes near the base of the stems; 28 to    34 cm tall at flowering and 56 to 66 cm wide; flowering begins late    spring in Michigan and continuing for about 5 to 9 weeks.-   Propagation: Stem cuttings.-   Time to produce finished crop in 3.8 liter pots: About 7 to 9 weeks;    moderate rate of growth.-   Root: Fine, fibrous and freely branching; color creamy white to tan    depending on soil type.-   Foliage fragrance: Pleasantly lemony.-   Leaves: Simple, lanceolate, opposite, serrated, puberulent above and    below; lustrous above, semi-lustrous to matte below; acute apex,    ovate to rounded base; about 5.5 to 9.0 cm long by 3.5 to 5.5 cm    wide, average about 7.2 cm long and 4.0 cm wide.-   Leaf color: Young leaves between RHS 144B and N144C above, nearest    RHS 144C below with tinting mostly around margin above and below of    nearest RHS N186B; older leaves between RHS 139A and RHS 136A above    and between RHS 146A and RHS 137B below; greenhouse forced foliage    of older leaves nearest RHS 136A above and between RHS 138A and RHS    138B below; with tinting above and below of nearest RHS N186B.-   Veins: Pinnate; pubescent below with minute puberulent above,    slightly sunken above and raised below.-   Vein color: Adaxial midrib between RHS 187A and RHS 187B, lateral    veins nearest RHS 138C; abaxial mid rib between RHS 145D and RHS    144D; abaxial lateral veins nearest RHS 144D near midrib and    gradually darkening to nearest RHS 138B toward margin.-   Petiole: Pubescent, slightly concaved above and convex below; about    7.0 mm long and 2.0 mm across at base.-   Petiole color: Adaxial nearest RHS 187B with margins nearest RHS    139A; abaxial nearest RHS 138A at base and lightening to nearest RHS    144D.-   Stems: Squared, puberulent, densely pubescent at nodes; about 4.0 mm    across at base; about 34 per plant; naturally branched at upper    nodes; average 1.8 cm between nodes greater distally; 15 to 18 nodes    per stem; average length about 34 cm.-   Stem color: Nearest RHS 144A with slight tinting of nearest RHS    N186C in areas of strong direct light.-   Flowers: Single labiate flowers arranged in mostly terminal    verticillasters forming globular head about 7.0 cm across and 4.0 cm    tall opening from the center and progressing outwardly and down;    individual flowers persisting about 5 days in Michigan; numerous,    about 200 flowers per terminal head, fewer per axillary head;    beginning flowering in Michigan at least two weeks prior to typical    Monarda didyma cultivars.-   Flower fragrance: Moderately spicy.-   Buds one to two days prior to opening: Narrowly oblanceolate, curved    downward; about 2.5 cm long and 3 mm diameter and 4.0 mm tall;    petals nearest RHS 72A above and below nearest RHS 72D with    longitudinal stripes lighter than RHS 72D; younger bud color when    petals just protruding beyond sepals nearest RHS 79B above with    faded stripes with green tinting nearest RHS 145D.-   Petals: Labiate; arched downward; base fused into tube; split in two    in the distal 1.2 cm with upper lip fused into a hood about 3.0 cm    long and 2.5 mm diameter, apex curved backward in distal 3.0 mm and    fringed to densely pubescent; lower lip about 3.2 cm long comprising    three lobes including two side lobes about 0.5 mm long with rounded    apex and center lobe about 4.0 mm long split in the distal 1.0 mm;    both petals glandular and pubescent on outer surfaces with fine    hairs the same color as petals; both petals glabrous on inner    surfaces; self-cleaning.-   Petal color: Distal color of upper petal on both surfaces between    RHS N78A and RHS 77A, inner surface near apex has two stripes 0.5 mm    wide and 2.5 mm long nearest RHS 71A; with basal tube about 5.0 mm    long near white, lighter than RHS 155D or RHS N155D; lower petal    adaxial surface margins nearest RHS 72B with two lighter    longitudinal strips nearest RHS 75D containing numerous irregular    spots of nearest RHS 72A about 0.5 mm diameter in linear pattern    longitudinal strips of nearest RHS 76C; and two other longitudinal    strips of similar spots running almost on the petal margin; lower    petal abaxial surface between RHS N80B and RHS N80C with darker    margin of nearest RHS N81B, and near the longitudinal center two    longitudinal strips of nearest RHS 76C with dark spotting showing    through from adaxial petal surface.-   Filaments: Two, curved downward; about 1.5 cm long by 0.5 mm    diameter fused to petal about 1.5 cm from base; color at base    nearest RHS 77C and darkening distally to nearest RHS 77A.-   Anther: Oblong elliptic, dorsifixed, longitudinal; 2.2 mm by 1.0 mm;    color nearest RHS N77A with longitudinal dehiscence line nearest RHS    187A.-   Pollen: Abundant, elliptic to globose, less than 0.1 mm; color    nearest RHS 12C.-   Pistil: One per flower; protruding about 9.0 mm beyond upper petal    when mature.-   Style: About 3.8 cm long and less than 0.5 mm diameter; color    nearest RHS 77A distally and lightening to near white, lighter than    RHS 155D.-   Stigma: Split in two in the distal 2.0 mm, 0.25 mm in diameter;    color nearest RHS 77B.-   Ovary: 1.0 mm by 0.75 mm; color between RHS 158A and RHS 150D.-   Sepals: Five, apiculate apex, base fused forming corolla about 11.0    mm long and 2.5 mm diameter, fused in basal 9.0 mm to form a tube;    glandular and with minute hairs on outer surface and especially at    fusion opening; persistent.-   Sepal color: Variable depending on light exposure; apex between RHS    N187A and RHS N186A both adaxial and abaxial; distal two thirds of    outer corolla surface between RHS N186B and RHS N187B with darker    veins of RHS N187A, other sepals nearest RHS 187D with veins of RHS    187C; proximal half of outer corolla surface becoming lighter than    RHS 145C without vein stripes; inner surfaces of tube nearest RHS    138B with veins of RHS 138A.-   Foliar bracts: Usually two rows of six each in number; below    verticillasters; lanceolate upper row and ovate to deltoid lower    row; apex narrowly acute; base sessile, truncate; lower row of    bracts about 3.2 cm long and 1.6 cm wide at base; upper row of    bracts, about 1.8 cm long and 6.0 mm wide.-   Foliar bract color: Variable depending on light exposure; adaxial    surface nearest RHS 187C with green undertones of nearest RHS 137A    other bracts nearest RHS 187D without green undertone; abaxial    surface between RHS 137B and RHS 136B with tinting of RHS N187 A and    RHS 187B; adaxial center vein color nearest RHS 60C and abaxial    center vein color nearest RHS N187B with undertones of nearest RHS    137A; secondary adaxial and abaxial veins same color as surrounding    tissue.-   Peduncle: Pubescent, stiff, strong, erect, squared in cross-section    to about 0.4 cm across and average 32 cm long; about 34 per plant;    naturally branched at nodes; average 1.8 cm between nodes; 15 to 18    nodes per stem.-   Peduncle color: Between RHS 146B and RHS 146C with tinting of    nearest RHS 187B in regions of higher light exposure.-   Pedicel: About 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS    145B.-   Fruit: Single nutlet, elliptical, about 1.3 mm long and 0.7 mm wide;    color nearest RHS 200C.-   Hardiness: The new plant grows best with plenty of moisture and    adequate drainage; hardy to at least from USDA zone 4 through 8.-   Disease and pest resistance: Demonstrated greater than average    powdery mildew tolerance in side by side comparison with other    Monarda.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental Bee balm plant,Monarda ‘Leading Lady Plum’, as herein described and illustrated, withcompact habit, dark green foliage, earlier flowering with numerousmagenta-purple flowers with darker reddish-purple spotting and tolerantto powdery mildew especially suitable as a potted plant, for the garden,patio, and for cut flower arrangements.